LEAP 50th—2024-2025
The mission of the Law, Education and Participation Project of the Temple University School of Law (Temple-LEAP) is to educate non-lawyers, particularly K-12 students from Philadelphia area schools, about the law and citizenship.
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LEAP Will Celebrate its 50th Year starting June 20, 2024
The mission of the Law, Education and Participation Project of the Temple University School of Law (Temple-LEAP) is to educate non-lawyers, particularly K-12 students from Philadelphia area schools, about the law and citizenship. Started in 1974, LEAP reaches these goals by teaching about principles of democracy while developing critical reading, writing and thinking skills.
LEAP will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.
You can support LEAP’s 50th, advertise in the program, and contribute to the event here.
Funds raised in excess of the cost of the website and other LEAP 50th events will be donated to the Cahn Collaborative in honor of the greatest poverty lawyer of the past 6o years, Edgar Cahn, whose work on youth courts inspires the continuation of youth court programs started by Temple-LEAP in the last century. Cahn was a graduate of Swarthmore College (and past LEAP Executive Directors Beth Farnbach and David Keller Trevaskis lived in Swarthmore). Swarthmore was also the home of John S. Bradway, whose fund supports the ongoing LEAP activities of running the Philadelphia High School mock trial competition named in his honor. Read about Bradway, who was born and raised in Swarthmore, here.
LEAP 50th 2024-2025 is Here
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Supreme Court Summer Institute – Street Law
The North Allegheny educators George and Debbie Sagan bookend then Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the Supreme Court Institute run by Street Law, a national partner of LEAP, sometime in the mid-1990s. The program continues today, having brought more than 1500 hundred teachers to DC for a week of learning about our highest court. George Sagan was one of 50 invited that summer to participate, at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. There was a reception with Justice O'Connor at the end of the week.
Abington Heights, the 2024 Pennsylvania Mock Trial Team Wins a Trip to the White House
Abington Heights, the 2024 Pennsylvania Mock Trial Team, won the national competition this spring. They won a trip to the White House.
In the President Biden photo:
From L. to R. Amy Kelly - Teacher/Coach, Daniel E. Cummins, Esq. - Attorney Advisor, Zachary Riggall, Christopher Cummins, Ava Shedlauskas, Serena Mokhtari, Madeline Herold, Amishi Amit, Dane Huggler, Ananya Phadki, President Joe Biden, Ava Whalen, William Newton, Thomas Russini, Nolan Moore, Aidan Lam, Joseph T. Healey, Jennifer Tarr - Teacher/Coach, Henry Mahoney, and Joseph T. Healey, Esq. - Attorney Advisor. Not pictured, Anne Cummins - Performance Advisor
But the team from Abington Heights would have never made it to the White House if not for LEAP's nearly 45-year history with mock trial. In our picture are, front row, left to right, Roberta West, who worked 25 years at LEAP and ran the mock trial program from 2001 to 2014 (Temple Law alum), Beth Earley Farnbach, LEAP's ED from 1975 to 1993 (she started the mock trials in 1979 or so), and Marcia Halbert, Philadelphia School District Museum Educator whose museum was City Hall and who brought tens of thousands of kids to Court to see live trials (she is also the widow of Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Marvin Halbert, with whom she supported LEAP and mock trial throughout her career).
In the next row. Starting on the left, is Bruce Yasgur, retired Central High social studies teacher and Temple Law alum, and a longtime mock trial coach, Brian Pollock, a longtime Fels High School mock trial and debate coach, and Alan Liebowitz, a Temple Law alum and retired educator who first got involved with LEAP in the 70's when he was teaching middle school social studies at Roosevelt and took an in-service. Alan coached mock trial and still scores for the statewide competition today. In the back row, Bob Catina, part of LEAP's statewide law-related education training team retired from Pleasant Valley High School but working as a court crier for the Monroe County Courts and an early statewide mock trial coach who still serves as a scorer, Sarah Kaufman, the coordinator of the John S. Bradway Philadelphia High School Mock Trial Competition since 2014 (and a Temple Law alum) and David Keller Trevaskis, who worked for LEAP for 17 years and ran the program from 1993 until 2001.
It was great to see you all on the 20th! Look to the webpage for future events. https://pcssonline.org/leap/
50th Anniversary Celebration Luncheon
LEAP kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration with a lunch on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at the Inn at Swarthmore, a location picked to honor John S. Bradway, the creator of clinical law school clinics, who grew up there in the early part of the 20th century. Two of LEAP's Executive Directors, Beth Farnbach and David Trevaskis, lived in Swarthmore, and the late Edgar Cahn, whose timebanking youth court in Washington, D.C. inspired the ongoing youth court effort in Pennsylvania today, went to Swarthmore College, adding to the connection. Plus the food is great!
Seated left to right are Bruce Yasgur, retired Central High social studies teacher and Temple Law alum, Sarah Kaufman, the coordinator of the John S. Bradway Philadelphia High School Mock Trial Competition since 2014 (and a Temple Law alum), Roberta West, who worked 25 years at LEAP and ran the program from 2001 to 2014 (Temple Law alum), Beth Earley Farnbach, LEAP's ED from 1975 to 1993, Marcia Halbert, Philadelphia School District Museum Educator whose museum was City Hall and who brought tens of thousands of kids to Court to see live trials (she is also the widow of Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Marvin Halbert, with whom she supported LEAP throughout her career).
In the back row is Briab Pollock, a longtime Fels High School mock trial and debate coach, Ingrid Farnbach, Beth's daughter and a longtime fixture in the LEAP offices as a kid, Linda Hibbs, who ran the Temple-Penn Law joint program in the mid 1990s, behind Linda, partially hidden, is Amy Niedzalkoski, a LEAP Law student and Temple Law alum from the 1990s who taught with Brian Pollock at Fels, Bob Catina, part of LEAP's statewide law-related education training team retired from Pleasant Valley High School but working as a court crier for the Monroe County Courts, David Keller Trevaskis, who worked for LEAP for 17 years and ran the program from 1993 until 2001, Kalli Badolato, a LEAP Law student and Temple Law alum from the 1990s, Alan Liebowitz, a Temple Law alum and retired educator who first got involved with LEAP in the 70's when he was teaching middle school social studies at Roosevelt and took an in-service class, is standing next to Bill Baldwin, who occupies the far right of the back row. Bill is the Deputy Director of Pro Bono Services at the Pennsylvania Bar Association, a Temple Law alum, and a great champion of justice!
It was a wonderful luncheon with stories of how everyone had benefitted from being involved with LEAP. Marcia Halbert captured the spirit of the day when she said, "It was a wonderful celebration, and I was so pleased to see all those friends from a very interesting time in my life."
As the year of LEAP's 50th continues, we hope to have many wonderful celebrations, large and small.
Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Frederica Massiah-Jackson
Legal Intelligencer from February 8, 1990 shows on page two a picture of Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Frederica Massiah-Jackson and the late Family Court Senior Judge Nicholas Cipriani, both LEAP Board members at the time, speaking with Executive Director Beth Earley Farnbach at the Minority Pre-Law Conference held at Temple Law.
LEAP and Temple University 1990
The first Temple document is the LEAP brochure from 1990. The second one shows one of the many newsletters LEAP published, this one from the fall of 1993.
Lesson on Good and Evil—Wallingford-Swarthmore School District
The lesson on good and evil describes rolling out Teens, Crime and the Community in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District (circa 1990).
New Law Program LEAP Supported at Olney High School 1990
Onley Times piece from October 4, 1990 highlights a new law program LEAP supported at Olney High School.
Classroom Strategies by Street Law Co-authors Lee Arbetman and Ed O’Brien
Classroom Strategies is a piece by Street Law co-authors Lee Arbetman and Ed O'Brien from 1978 which was part of the inspiration for Beth Farnbach starting the mock trial program in the Philadelphia schools around that same time.
18th Century Ghost Jurist and Real-life 20th Century Counterparts
The page of pictures from the April 21, 1989 Legal shows pictures from a panel discussion of an 18th century ghost jurist and real-life 20th century counterparts.
Jim Klyap retired after 38 Years at Purchase Line
Jim Klyap, one of the original teachers in the LEAP statewide educational network, sent this message:
[I} retired after 38 years at Purchase Line-I have subbed since at a school closer to me called Penns Manor-In total I have 58 years in Education now! Just got a knee replacement 4 weeks ago -It has put me on the DA for a while -The school I sub at almost calls me everyday to sub -they are hurting for people that have more than a heart beat!! I worked almost 20 years in Yellowstone National Park in the summer and after retirement-I was in charge of recreational activities for all employees in the park-It was almost like another life-I saw kids as babies and then went to their graduations-My son is still in Montana he has managed various ranches had his own outfitters business -last year was the first year for 20 years we did not go to Montana-My wife had to have a serious back operation which has been turning out OK-As soon as I can get the OK from the Doc for my knee we are headed back out there for a few months again-taking our two border collies that have made the trip 8 times already-I also work for IUP basketball and football teams acting as the host for visiting teams and officials-I am 80 now and wish to stay active as long as I can! It was great to hear from you with the news-I sure do remember Sugar Loaf and all of the other conferences and meetings-When I go to Montana we plan to fish more than work-we worked too many summers there-My son has his own 1880 long cabin we have worked on and made it so he can have guests and family there-he is in between jobs and believe it or not wants to teach again after all of the other types of work he has done!! Tell everyone I said Hi -It was great to hear from you!!
You definitely can share my story Leap was one of the highlights of my Law Education teaching career!!!!
Bob Catina Remembers LEAP…
Two members of the LEAP training team, circa early 1990s–both now have doctorates–Steve Klein, then of Dobbins Tech in Philadelphia (standing) and David Lonich, Ringgold High School in New eagle, PA (Washington County). Klein became a national trainer with the Constitutional Rights Foundation–Chicago and then a longtime educator in the Elgin, Illinois U-46 School District. Lonich was renowned for his “Shoot, Don’t Shoot” teaching simulations with his students that local law enforcement used for their professional development.
Pleasant Valley School District
The team from Pleasant Valley School District attending the first LEAP statewide leadership conference at the old Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in the fall of 1985.
Gregg Werkheiser and Coaches
Gregg Werkheiser, a student on that PV team, with his former coaches and teachers, Bob Catina (left) and the late Eric Schneider (right) at event Werkheiser later organized at William and Mary. As you see from the linked reference, students influenced by LEAP programs and teachers like Werkheiser have gone on to have great careers.
1980s Pleasant Valley High School Team
The highly successful Pleasant Valley High School team of the 1980s which went to the statewide high school mock trial finals three consecutive years. The team went undefeated through the finals but finished third due to the scoring system used at the time.
Bob-Catina
Bob Catina, an original participant in the LEAP-Pleasant Valley School District partnership in 1985, still is engaged in civics having served many years now as a Court Tipstaff in Monroe County after retiring from 36 years as the Pleasant Valley High School Business Law teacher. Bob is here pictured with Monroe County President Judge Margherita Patti-Worthington at the conclusion of a double homicide trial in January 2024 which marked the opening of new courtrooms from a massive multi-million dollar expansion to add space and improve court proceedings. Catina credits his work with LEAP, which continues to today as he still scores mock trials in the statewide program, as the highlight of his professional career!
Judge Halbert at Sugarloaf circa late 1980s
Check out the picture of Judge Marvin Halbert. The event was a LEAP statewide training session at Chestnut Hill’s Sugarloaf Conference Center probably in the late 80s or early 90s. The late Judge Halbert was a longtime supporter of LEAP and his wife, Marcia, is a retired Philadelphia School District teacher who had the museum educator position at City Hall. She set up and facilitated thousands of class visits by Philadelphia school children of all ages to observe courtrooms in action during her career. LEAP law students teaching in the local schools were asked to make a Court visit part of their curriculum and the ones who got to work with Judge Halbert sometimes found the Judge pulling the law students in as researchers and law clerks if the need arose. Can you see Joey Grant, a renowned litigator and champion of justice, behind Judge Halbert on the left? The woman seated watching the Judge on the right side in white with hair to match is Wallingford-Swarthmore educator Freema Nichols who did great things with her middle school students in Swarthmore using Teens, Crime and Community. Recognize anyone else?
Judge Green Talking to Students with Beth Farnbach looking on
The late Judge Clifford Scott Green, LEAP’s early champion, talks to Philadelphia students (can anyone identify the school) as then LEAP Executive Director Beth Farnbach looks on.
1990 Illinois LRE Training Team
This is a nice shot of the 1990 Illinois LRE training team, probably at the hotel attached to Hamburger University, the McDonald site that the Constitutional Rights Foundation—Chicago used for its trainings. Mugging for the camera in the middle of the picture is a young David Keller Trevaskis with Street Law author Lee Arbetman kneeling in front of him. Legendary law-related educator Isidore Starr is immediately to Arbetman’s left getting a hug from Carolyn Pereira, then Executive Director of CRFC. CRFC was part of a national network of law-related education programs that flourished with significant federal funding during the last quarter of the past century. LEAP was the Pennsylvania hub for that network during that time period.
The Boys of LEAP
The boys of LEAP, circa 1994…Left to right, the late David Vanderhoof, LEAP Scholar in Residence in the early 1990s, a Pennsylvania mock trial author before taking a teaching position at UNC–Penrose where he helped bring the national high school mock trial finals to North Carolina, J.P, Trias, grandson of Puerto Rico’s Constitutional author and first Chief Justice, then a LEAP law student, then LEAP Executive Director David Trevaskis, Forian Sequre, then LEAP Associate Director with then LEAP law student and former New Britain Township Poii looked Chief Harry Cooper. Then LEAP law student and current First Judicial District trial judge Giovanni Campbell kneeling in front.
LEAP staffer David Keller Trevaskis with PCSS President Steve Bullick
LEAP staffer David Keller Trevaskis ( on left) with PCSS President Steve Bullick ( on right) honoring LEAP trainers George and Debbie Sagan from North Allegheny School District. They are being honored for work done with North Allegheny students on a bill ( it failed but a lot of learning took place) to ban the release of helium filled latex balloons in Pennsylvania.
Project conducted by former LEAP trainer George Sagan
Here are materials and an article describing a project conducted by former LEAP trainer and North Allegheny social studies teacher George Sagan in which his students worked to get legislation passed banning the release of latex balloons filled with helium because the balloons might be eaten by sea turtles who might die od starvation as a result of the balloons blocking their stomachs. This 1990s civic lesson ended up with legislation drafted but the Bill was defeated through efforts of the latex balloon lobby. Not every little train going up the mountain makes it to the top, as the Shel Silverstein poem suggested. That, itself, was a valuable civics lesson for Sagan’s students.
Klein and Lonich
Two members of the LEAP training team, circa early 1990s–both now have doctorates–Steve Klein, then of Dobbins Tech in Philadelphia (standing) and David Lonich, Ringgold High School in New eagle, PA (Washington County). Klein became a national trainer with the Constitutional Rights Foundation–Chicago and then a longtime educator in the Elgin, Illinois U-46 School District. Lonich was renowned for his “Shoot, Don’t Shoot” teaching simulations with his students that local law enforcement used for their professional development.